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Cost of travel in Colombia
A fascinating country with a vibrant culture and stunning landscapes. Home to bustling cities, Caribbean coastlines and epic hiking routes. But that doesn’t mean that a tour to Colombia will break the bank. In fact, Colombia is one of the cheapest destinations in South America. That said, depending on how much luxury you like to inject into your holidays, the costs of food, transport and excursions, can vary. Do you prefer to catch a flight from one side of Colombia to the other, or would you be happy to take an 18-hour bus? There’s almost always a cheaper option.
So, how much does a holiday to Colombia cost? A traveller sticking to a tight budget should aim for up to COP$100,000 ($29 USD) per day. For a mid-range budget, we suggest to take around COP$100,000 ($29 UDS) - COP$250,000 ($73 USD) per day, and if you have the luxury of a high budget for your Colombian holiday, we suggest to take upwards of COP$250,000 ($73 USD) per day - these estimates include accommodation. If you join a group tour, accommodation will be included, so you’ll be able to budget for even less.
The currency in Colombia is Colombian Peso.
Food & Drink
One of the best things about visiting a budget destination like Colombia is the food. If you stick to road-side snacks and street food such as empanadas, lunch can cost you as little as 513 COP ($0.15 USD). A traditional Colombian meal in a local diner will usually cost you around 12,000 COP ($3.50 USD). A western meal will cost a little more at around 25,000 COP ($7.30 USD). An American fast food meal, such as a McDonald’s, will cost approximately 15,000 COP ($4.50 USD). That said, you can also find lots of fine-dining restaurants. A beer in a bar will cost around 2,500 COP ($0.75 USD).
Transport
An excellent part of travelling around Colombia is the cheap local transport. Buses tend to be the most popular mode of transportation as a trip within the town can cost as little as 1,000-2,500 COP ($0.30-0.80 USD). For longer distances, such as Bogota to Medellin, the journey will cost around 65,000 ($20 USD). The average cost of a bus ride under 9 hours is around 20,000-40,000 ($6-12 USD). Uber does run in some cities, and 16,000 COP ($5 USD) will get you to most places.
Admission Fees
Activities tend to be where most people spend the bulk of their budget. Small attractions such as museums cost around 10,000 COP ($3 USD), at the most. Long tours or hikes, such as the four day Lost City Trek, will cost you around 1,400,000 COP ($450 USD). A private salsa dancing lesson in Cali will set you back around 45,000 COP ($14 USD), and it will cost around 36,000 COP ($11 USD) to climb the rock in Guatape.
Tipping & costs in Colombia
Colombia doesn’t have much of a tipping culture, that said some tourists do tip in certain situations. Generally though, if a service charge is added to a bill, people tend to pay it. Remember rounding up a few pesos can go a long way.
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Restaurants
In Colombia, it is a government regulation that any waiter who wishes to add a 10% service charge to your bill, must ask you first. This is common in mid-range - high-end restaurants. The service charge is not mandatory, but most people pay it if the service was at least agreeable.
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Guides
We always advise to offer a tip to your tour guides, no matter whereabouts in the world you are. Their wages predominantly come from tips, so adding 10-20% goes a long way. If the tour wasn’t as good as expected, then, by all means, offer a smaller tip.
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Transport
People rarely tip taxi drivers unless you use the same one regularly or hire them for a full day. Out of pure ease, most people round up a few pesos.
Top Tip!
Keep a few pesos in a separate wallet so that you are prepared for tipping.
Can you haggle in Colombia?
Colombia has a big haggling culture, although it is not acceptable to bargain in every circumstance. It is very common and mostly expected to haggle at Colombian markets as the prices of goods generally aren’t fixed. It is not acceptable, however, to bargain for goods in shops. As for taxis in Colombia, they don’t use a meter, so you can always bargain for the price. If you do decide to start haggling with a seller, make sure you appear friendly and unaggressive - you are much more likely to get a good deal if the conversation is light-hearted, even more so if you throw in a few Spanish words.
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